On July 22, 1999, the Associated Press published a story: "Letters Shed Light on
Reagan's Life." Lorraine Wagner, a Philadelphia woman, maintained a 50-year-
long correspondence with Ronald Reagan. As a 13-year-old, Wagner wrote to the then
31-year-old actor, Ronald Reagan, one of her favorite Hollywood actors. Much to her surprise,
Reagan wrote back, and continued as her pen pal for 50 years. The general public never knew.

During this time, Reagan experienced divorce and remarriage, election and re-
election as governor of California, and, of course, election and re-election to the
presidency. He wrote about his joys, his sorrows, his hopes and his dreams.

The Associated Press published excerpts, including some revealing and intimate
exchanges. (A lengthy article about the Reagan-Wagner relationship appeared in the New Yorker
magazine.)

About his first wife, actress Jane Wyman, Reagan wrote, "I know she loves me, even
though she thinks she doesn't." Reagan also referred to Jimmy Carter as "a real phony."

What's the issue? Well, Ms. Wagner sold those letters -- 276 of them -- to a dealer
who intends to auction them for nearly $400,000. Nowhere does the article suggest that Wagner
first offered the letters to Reagan or to the Reagan Library. Did Wagner violate Reagan's
trust? Do we assume Reagan indifferent as to the selling and possible publication of these
letters? That's the point. The article does not provide this information, and seems
unconcerned about it.

Writer J. D. Salinger erupted when he learned that a woman with whom he had a
long-standing correspondence decided to sell his letters. A wealthy, sympathetic bidder
purchased Salinger's letters and returned them to him. Does Reagan, like Salinger, feel
violated? Did the Associated Press even ask?

Isn't whether the Reagans explicitly or implicitly gave permission relevant to the
story? But, nowhere in this nearly 15-paragraph story do we learn whether Wagner sought and
received permission.

My assistant contacted Ronald Reagan's office, and Nancy Reagan released to him the
following statement: "We've never believed that letters should be sold without the permission
of the person who wrote the letters." Well, there it is. No, Wagner did not get permission.
And, if she sought it, the Reagans declined.

My assistant also contacted Ms. Wagner, and informed her of Nancy Reagan's quote. To
her credit, Wagner agreed to talk. She said that personal circumstances forced her to raise
money by selling the letters. She expressed undying appreciation and admiration for Ronald
Reagan. She wanted the world to see Reagan's caring and sensitive side, a dimension, she
said, few knew. But Wagner conceded that she did not seek permission to sell the letters, and
that she now deeply regrets failing to do so.

She somewhat lamely offered the excuse that she thought Nancy Reagan busy, and did
not wish to impose. I called her failure to even attempt to reach the Reagans an error in
judgment, creating the appearance of violating Reagan's trust and faith in her. Wagner
agreed, and, after our talk, she wrote me, saying, "I understood your feelings."

Dissing Wagner is not the point here. Rather, the angle the Associated Press took --
failing to raise questions of trust and privacy -- betrays the media's continued lack of
respect for The Gipper.

The media calls the 1980s "The Decade of Greed." What about the '90s, a decade that
produced more millionaires, a larger gap between the rich and the poor, and more mergers and
acquisitions than during the "mercenary" '80s? Shall we call the '90s the "Decade of the
Really, Really Greedy"?

How about the Time magazine article following the 1987 stock market crash: "What
crashed was more than just the market. It was the Reagan Illusion ... he stayed a term too
long ... [his] dream of painless prosperity has been punctured." (Note the prosperity
continues.)

Reagan biographer Dinesh D'Souza points out that the 1992 edition of Bartlett's
Quotations contains 35 entries from FDR, 28 from JFK, six from Jimmy Carter, but only three
from Reagan. Justin Kaplan, editor of Bartlett's, pulled no punches, "I'm not going to
disguise the fact that I despise Ronald Reagan." Oh.

Unconvinced? Remove the name Ronald Reagan from the Associated Press story, and
substitute the name of John F. Kennedy. Suppose someone sold, without the Kennedy family
permission, a batch of intimate letters by JFK. Would a headline discussing this unauthorized
sale lead with the heading, "Letters Shed Light on Kennedy's Life"?

Call me cynical, but somehow I doubt
it.

JWR contributor Larry Elder reads all of his mail. Let him know what you think by clicking here.